The MoFo Top 100 Foreign Language Film Countdown

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Nice bunch, even though I haven't seen Solaris. And that Rashomon poster is fire

Speaking of Rashomon, I saw it for the first time a couple of years ago and really liked it (here's my Letterboxd review). I might have some issues with some story choices (namely the inclusion of the medium among the witnesses), but nothing to take away much from it. Anyway, it didn't make my list.

City of God is a film I saw a couple of times back when it came out. It really blew me away back then and always found it a bit of a tough watch. I had it on my "short" list, but I haven't seen it in probably 10-15 years, so I passed on it. Should probably rewatch it.

M is another film I caught up with a couple of years ago and it really blew my mind (here's my Letterboxd review). Not only was it technically impressive, but the way it handled what is still a decidedly "hot button" topic, I thought was marvelous. And how about Peter Lorre? What a performance. I had it at #12.


My Summary:

Seen: 41/90
My list: 10/25

My List  
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Woke up to a wall of four amazing foreign films today! Only one made my list. I could have sworn I included City of God but guessing I didn't assuming it was going to rank high anyway. Who knows what I was thinking when I submitted my list - not me!

2. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972)
3. Rashomon (1950)
5. Close-Up (1990)
6. Chungking Express (1994)
7. Playtime (1967)
8. La dolce vita (1960)
13. Sonatine (1993)
14. The Battle of Algiers (1966)
15. The Mirror (1975)
17. Red Desert (1964)
21. Caché (2005)
22. Pather Panchali (1955)
24. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
25. Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (2004)
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Four incredible films right there, all of which were very very close to making my list but I chose other films from the same directors (apart from City of God) to make my list more varied.

M is incredible for it's somewhat sympathetic treatment of the criminal, the recent film Joker has a few nods to it. As do many others.

City of God is a beautiful film to look at and tragic both in it's story and the real life story of the actors.

Rashomon is classic Kurosawa. Essential cinema about morals and judiciary.

Solaris is an epic sci fi also dealing in morals and the self. Essential sci fi.

What a countdown this is.



Can it be fixed that City of God was co-directed with Kátia Lund?



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45/84

-La Strada - 10/10
-The Battle of Algiers - 10/10
-Wild Strawberries - 10/10
-Rashomon - 10/10 - best movie on perception
-M - 9/10 - favorite thriller
-Le Trou - 9/10
-A Woman In The Dunes - 8.5/10
-The 400 Blows - 8.5/10
-Knife In The Water - 8.5/10
-A Man Escaped - 8/10
-Nights of Cabiria - 8/10
-Sundays & Cybele - 8/10
-Close-Up- 8/10 -
-Pather Panchali- 8/10
-Late Spring - 8/10
-Tokyo Story - 8/10
-Contempt - 8/10
-Wings of Desire - 8/10
-La Dolce Vita - 7.5/10
-Harakari - 7.5/10
-Red Desert - 7.5/10
-Le Cercle Rouge - 7.5/10
-Rome, Open City - 7.5/10
-Shoplifters - 7/10
-Léon Morin, Priest - 7/10
-Bob Le Flambeur - 7/10
-Rififi - 7/10
-The Virgin Spring -7/10
-Run Lola Run - 7/10
-City of God - 7/10 - saw this in 2005, good movie from Brazil.
-Le Samourai - 7/10
-The Conformist - 7/10
-The Celebration- 7/10
-The Lives of Others - 7/10
-Aguirre, The Wrath Of God - 7/10 it.
-Cinema Paradiso - 7/10
-Au Revoir les Enfants - 6.5/10
-Last Year At Marienbad - 6/10
-Roma - 6/10
-Z - 6/10
-Army of Shadows - 5/10
-The Mirror - 5/10
-Fitzcarraldo - 5/10
-Le Haine - 4/10



Rashomon is a masterpiece and #4 on my ballot. M is fantastic and 23 on my ballot. Solaris didn’t make my ballot, but is a great film. I was underwhelmed by City of God and honestly not impressed by it.



I've seen 3 out of 4 of these.

I considered both Rashomon and City of God for my list and if I'd gotten around to rewatching them, one or both might have made the cut. Unfortunately as things were, I remembered liking both but didn't remember enough about either one to rank them so I just left them off. I figured they probably didn't need any help anyway.

I watched M for the 14th Hall of Fame. I thought the film looked and sounded great, but I had trouble truly engaging with it. In the end, I respected it but didn't like it.



Solaris was my #9. Tarkovsky never fail to leave an impression on me, even his films I am lukewarm too. Solaris was my ultimate first viewing for him though. The beauty of the first hour alone just blew me away. I am sure that was meant to juxtapose what was to come with a very clinical feeling dirty ship, where we spend most of our time. Just talking about it makes me want to see it again, and I haven’t even gotten into any of the spirituality of humanity themes that Tarkovsky has few rivals in. Probably only Malick is better at that for me.

M and City Of God both could very well make make my list at various times. I think both are fantastic but they also need rewatches to be fresh in my mind.

Despite most Kurosawa ticking up a notch or two for me, I still don’t love Rashomon. I think it’s good, I will watch it again. Not what the kids call a banger.

I watched Downfall last night. Really good movie with an outstanding performance. I don’t know how accurate it is but it feels extremely real and that made it an unnerving watch. Wouldn’t have made my list but I have no issues with it here….if it had been 75 or so.



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
Top 10 Prediction

10. Bicycle Thieves
9. Seventh Seal
8. Parasite
7. Pans Labyrinth
6. 8 1/2
5. Come and See
4. Seven Samurai
3. Persona
2. Spirited Away
1. Stalker



Seen: 7
Heard of: 38
My list: 5
My posts here: 10

My List:
1. *
2. City of God (2003)
3. *
4. Let the Right One In (2008)
5. *
6. Amelie (2001)
7. Shoplifters (2018)
8. Oldboy (2003)
9. *
10. *

"City of God" floored me upon first viewing. Repeated viewings only riveted it in place as my fifth most favorite film. "Amelie" is the polar opposite, yet had the same impact.



A very nice foursome indeed. City Of God, Rashomon, Solaris and M were all in consideration for my personal ballot .... but in the end only one of them actually made it.

Seen: 69/90 (Own: 41/90)


Faildictions ((バージョン 1.01):
10. Det sjunde inseglet [The Seventh Seal] (1957)
9. La Grande Illusion [The Grand Illusion] (1937)
8. Le jour se lève [Daybreak] (1939)
7. Ladri di biciclette [Bicycle Thieves] (1948)
6. Onibaba (1964)
5. Idi i smotri [Come And See] (1985)
4. Stalker (1979)
3. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi [Spirited Away] (2001)
2. 8½ (1963)
1. Shichinin no samurai [Seven Samurai] (1954)



I'm actually more surprised the program went as bold as it did with Seven Samurai, , Spirited Away, Stalker, Come And See and The Seventh Seal all in the Top Ten .... some very risky picks as there's always a chance it could accidentally get one in the right position

I'm still smarting from the All-Time Top 100 Refresh countdown where it all went swimmingly until it completely fluffed it up with numbers #1 and #2 by getting them right



Haven't seen City of God.

Rashomon was fantastically written, but I'm surprised to see it above High and Low and especially Ikiru.

Solaris was so phenomenal that I got the book from the library as quickly as possible. I'm not sure which is better.

M is an excellent character study that didn't need character development. It needed a whole city to react. Leave the character in this kind of plot for tv series like Twin Peaks.

Two of these were on my ballot.

1. Oldboy (21)
2. The Mirror (86)
6. Metropolis (31)
7. Solaris (12)
12. Princess Mononoke (46)
13. Pather Panchali (47)
15. The Passion of Joan of Arc (15)
16. Ran (19)
17. La Dolce Vita (27)
19. Wild Strawberries (33)
20. Harakiri (37)
24. M (11)


The rest of my list is largely made up of top ten contenders.


3-5, most definitely.
8. Maybe.
9. Maybe nut really surprised this director's barely been mentioned.
10. Nerp.
11. Likely not.
14. OH yeah. Likely number 1.
18. Maybe not but a bit peeved that this didn't make it.
21. I don't see this making top ten, so no.
22. I'm surprised this hasn't shown up, but it MIGHT make top ten.
24. Considering what's happened with this movie recently, there's a good chance.
25. I never expected this to make it, but I'm glad I put it on my list.



I haven't seen City of God.

I've seen Rashomon twice and while I liked it OK, I just don't get the love for it.

I've seen M and maybe I missed something but I wasn't blown away by it.

Solaris is #2 on my list



I've seen all four of those films:

I watched City of God a while ago. I haven't felt the need to revisit it yet (I may do it eventually though), but I found it to be a disturbing gangster film which, instead of presenting gangster life/violence in a sensationalized or exciting way, focuses more on the disturbing/harrowing bits to it. Overall, I have a lot of respect for it and, though it gets its fair share of backlash for being a gateway foreign film, I still think it has a lot to offer.

Rashomon didn't make my list as I ultimately chose a different Kurosawa film for my ballot which probably won't make this list. However, Rashomon is probably my runner-up pick for Kurosawa. Amongst other things (setting is character, the over-the-top performances (which I don't consider to be a flaw, btw), the various shots of the sun, Mifune's performance), it's a compelling rumination on morals, justice, and truth. It's the kind of film which gets better the more you watch it.

Solaris is great, though to be fair, I watched it a while ago and don't remember it that well. I'm definitely due for a rewatch.

M was #13 on my ballot. It's the kind of film which contains several types of greatness. There's the influential sound design which is (I think) the first, if not, one of the first films to utilize tactics like pointing the camera away from the source of the sound to such a chilling effect, the opening 10-15 minutes which rank among the greatest film openings of all time, Lorre's disturbing performance where he transitions from an expressionless and cold-blooded killer into a sympathetic character (to my knowledge, this is the earliest and the most influential version of that characterization), the way the film delves into the psych of Lorre's character, and how the film's corrupt police force leads to the gang lords organizing their own manhunt (which, ironically, proves to be much more effective than the police). Overall, it's a terrific film and I'm glad to see it so high.

Updated ballot:

1.
2. Late Spring (1949, Ozu) #26
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. Andrei Rublev (1966, Tarkovsky) #23
8.
9.
10. Le Samouraï (1967, Melville) #30
11.
12. Sansho the Bailiff (1954, Mizoguchi) #50
13. M (1931, Lang) #11
14.
15.
16. The Battle of Algiers (1966, Pontecorvo) #56
17.
18.
19. The Mirror (1975, Tarkovsky) #86
20.
21. Red Desert (1964, Antonioni) #64
22.
23. Vampyr (1932, Dreyer) #84
24.
25. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972, Herzog) #15
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